[Video] Sword of Sorrow Series and other stuff I do

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Animation? Better? Well, Damn, don't you know that those other people use F---ing flash?

Flash is an animation program. I make things frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame by frame, and so on.

One minute of video is nearly two hundred frames, which is four hours of work. I put time and detication into my work, but yet it still comes out to grabage. I made this FF series to cut down frame rate to make it more easier to make. But easier is never better.

And really. I do it for myself. I honestly do, no matter what other may think. Why else have I been doing this for three years? Three years of my life, but I still keep going, and I will continue going for another two years after this, no matter what others may say. It took me three years to get to episode six, and it'll take me another some years to get to episode twelve, were it'll all end.

But really, I can't fix the better animation stuff. I use MS paint. Nothing more, nothing less. With the more frequent update idea, it is paint. Paint. I don't think you relise how many months it takes just to get three minutes.

With the art and sprite stuff, I don't have any sprite building skill. None. I can't make my own. With the plot thing, it may seem to be an exact copy, but that's because the characters from the two series haven't interacted with each other yet. It changes after that, but the events are the same. Notice my "Castlevania: Swords of Sorrow" it was completely original, but yet nobody cares either, now do they?

This is good. Let's start a flame war, this whole argument stuff really makes me think about these kind of things. If it's only one mind, less ideas are created. And no matter how many time I tell people this, but the damn offer in f---ing episode one still stands. Give me an idea, and I may use it. It mostly appiles to the CV SoS series, but it still can apply. This project was started as a series written by the people, but nobody gave me ideas, so I made my own. When I make my own ideas, this is what you get. I always consiter ideas and comments, go through them, and calculate several differnet ways to interpret the words, and then put it into the episode. That is what the first series was composed off, but then people stopped giving ideas, so I made episodes 3, 4, and 5 by myself and called them garbage.

I started a new series, one of my complete ideas and this is what happened.

If we can get into an argument, different ideas, and different views will be told, on what is good, and what is bad. Comments are essential, the blood of this kind of series, especially CV SoS. That project lived off of the ideas of OTHERS. Now that I have no one, that series has to end.

But yet, it's not the end yet. The final script for episode 11 has not been written. The script, nor ideas have begun yet. CV SoS is not gone yet, and it's possible to keep going with it. Even so, I doubt it'll work a second time, if the first time failed so hard.

I live to animate crap, not to make plots. Think as you may, that is what it truely is, and that is in my own honest reason why my series is now a complete rip off of Final Fantasy.



Also, Sorry Tezkat, I ignored your post when I made this.

I don't use anything, really. I put emphasis into "Paint only". The only other program is Windows Movie Maker, so that I can turn the images into video.

That'll ALL I really use.

Sad, really. I need a real animation program, not just a make believe one.

[WhiteFox]

I'm not here to flame, and I apologize for being far too blunt.

If you just want to quit, you have my sympathy. Abandoning a project is a hard thing to do.

If you need encouragement, let me say this: If you've put this much work into animations so far, you must be a god-damn-unstoppable machine by now. But you do need to work on improving your abilities, not just putting out the next episode.

I know how hard it is to work hard on a project and not get much response. I went through something like that not too long ago.

If you'd like, I'd be willing to write a script (I seem to be better at writing then drawing). Before I commit to a long term project, though, I would like to see how things go with a shorter try-out animation. Also, I have a copy of Photoshop CS2, and putting some modified sprites together would not be too hard.



(As a note: I do know what Flash is. I have a copy (my mother does graphic design, and I got it from her). I don't really like it that much. I did an animation as a final project in my Introduction to Studio Practice class, using a 3D program for graphics and Flash to animate it (It was pretty crappy, but it saved my grades). Working with keyframes and tweening nearly drove me insane. That was years ago, but yes, I understand how hard animation is.

Actually, for that matter, when I was 12 or so I'd do these 30-second stop-motion animations with Lego and my dad's VHS video camera. I got a Photography badge in Scouts for them. So, yes, I understand how hard frame-by-frame animation can be.)

But really, I can't fix the better animation stuff. I use MS paint. Nothing more, nothing less. With the more frequent update idea, it is paint. Paint.

Yes, you can fix it. Stop using MS Paint, and do a bit of looking around. You have a club, you need a scalpel. Finding a better program is work, and learning to use that program is also work. But it's less work in the long run then sticking to the methods you're using now.

Open Canvas ver.1.x is freeware (I've never used it, since i'm on a Mac), and GIMP is open source. Also, Photoshop Elements usually comes bundled with all kinds of things for free (I got a copy with my tablet, and another when I bought a printer. Digital cameras will come with PS:E too). It's limited, but as long as you don't really need fine control over styles, it'll do for all kinds of things. Corel Painter Essentials sells for 100$, and thats a lot more affordable then Photoshop. There are probably other low budged programs too. Sometimes you can find older versions of high end software on E-Bay, and developers will sell student-priced versions for a discount.

A graphic program that supports layers would be much more suitable for making animations then Paint. You could:
-Have each element on a separate layer.
-Move the elements a few pixels at a time with a move tool.
-Save As for each frame.
You could probably get a frame ever couple of seconds this way.

Of course, I would not be so indecent as to suggest finding a downloadable crack of Flash, Director, or Photoshop. That would be illegal, and I would never suggest such a thing in public. Even if you were to acquire a copy of Flash, you'd have to learn how to use it.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Hey, great news. While my sister was searching for random junk on the internet, she found a program called Paint.NET.

It's something like photoshop, with the blurs and layers. Yes, that's right, F---ing layers! This is amazing! Layers will make things so much easier, since I won't be starting at scratch for each and every single frame I do.

I'm so stoked!

I know all about layers. I know photoshop forward, backward, and know tips and tricks enough to manipulate it to do whatever I need. The problem here, is that I don't have photoshop.

However, flash, on the other hand, I know nothing about. All I know it it's some advanced animation program. Not much else I can tell you about it. If I did ever get it, I wouldn't be able to do anything with it.

With the whole script thing, would you suggest that I post new scripts and ask junk about them before I actually animate? Not only would that give me ideas, let people see it before it gets released, show people for grammer and perhaps spell check, but it also would be a way for everyone involved with the voice acting to see their lines there, and also it would be a way for them to see how their character interacts with the other characters.

It seems like quite a good idea to do, now that I think about it. Episode seven animation is already completely finished, so nothing I can do about that. Episode eight will be the last script I won't publicly show. Episode nine will be the first one I post then. I'll post it up when the time comes.

This is why I like arguments and collaberations. You're not the only mind at work this way, and you get to see different options and opinions. I'm a person more narrow minded, so coming up with even the most obvious stuff can prove to be somewhat difficult. However, if you're not the only mind at work, the possibilites have the potential to become limitless.

Keep coming with the tips and ideas. Even if it's only one person, it's enough for me to keep going.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Part one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5oyjmqC9Ko

Part two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8uFzCbUwKo

Part one has killed quality. Even the voices became descynced. I can't spell, so I hope you knoow what I've just said.

There was going to be a part three, but I thought it would be better to release it as episode eight.

The actual episode eight will be pushed back. I just can't finish it in less than two months.

I will use part three as something so that I can keep a regular shceduel, or at least as close to one as possible. I also need somebody to spell check whatever I type. I'm good at grammer. If a character speaks with bad grammer, it's because I did it purposely. However, speling is anoher matter.

I think I might create a theme song to play before the start of every episode. The new episode eight will be the first to have this opening thing.

However, I don't know what to put for it. Should it just be a character sideshow with rock music, or should the characters be doing certain things, like, um, I don't know. Maybe thier signature move? They each got one. The spinny sword attack Leo uses to break the magic barreir was one.

Realm gots her paint move, the one she uses to summon the chocobos, and Cecil gots his instant death "Darkness" move, the one he used on the wind dragon.

Maybe I should have anime music?

I really need honest input on this. I think at least one scene of a flying Air Ship is needed.

Maybe I could find someone to draw character portraits, or group shots for me? I doubt I'd find anyone, and the sprites are too simple for anything complex.

Hmm . . .

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

*merge* *merge* *tidy* Need I say more? ;-]

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Whoa, I was tripping out there for a second.

Crazy.

But anyways, I'm going to assume that this gives me a free pass for me or anyone involved with the project to bump it, no matter how old it gets.

I do still wonder how I can use sprites to make an anime like intro for the series. Close ups make them all pixalated. Ah, who cares, anyways. I don't even think anyone even cares anymore. I do this just because I can, anyways.

I just might go with the pixalated close ups.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Not entirely free, no. But the Tower of Art is a bit more relaxed about how frequently you have to post to keep things alive.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Ah, I'll keep that in mind.

I also like the way that I have to talk with myself in order to discuss my project.

I think I'll hold off on the intro until after episode nine or ten.

It's not like anybody cares. I can do whatever the hell I like.

[WhiteFox]

I also like the way that I have to talk with myself in order to discuss my project.

I've been wrapped up in my own work, and in the middle of moving out the apartment I live in.

The voice acting for the scene in the Village of Mist was just awesome. In most scenes, though, it's kind of jarring to hear only one character in a conversation with voice acting.

Unfortunately, apart from the scene in Mist, most of the episode was pretty dull. As improved as the animation is, most of it felt like video capture from an emulator, which isn't particularly exciting (EG: The battle with the mist dragon). A lot of time was spent on background and exposition, both of which are usually boring to sit through unless handled with care.

Still. Progress has been made.

It's not like anybody cares. I can do whatever the hell I like.

I'm sorry, but there's no way to put this nicely: people really do care.

Taking a "screw you all, I don't give a damn" attitude will drive people away pretty quickly.  So, yes, you can do whatever you like, but try to take a minute and consider what the reaction will be.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Of course I know there are a few people that watch my series. I'm not stupid. There's more than ten views on each of the vids, it's not like they get ignored completely. They get little attention, but it's still enough to keep me going.

What I was referring to was the intro. I wasn't speaking about the series itself. Of course I'll spend time with the episodes themselves.

What I was saying by that remark is the fact that nobody will probably give a shit of what's in the intro.

As long as it has a side show of the characters, and upbeat music, it dosen't really matter, dose it? Hell, the series could go on without an intro all together.

I'll try to make a short ten second something. I REALLY don't know why, but I feel like I should make one. It's not like anyone cares what I put in the intro, I can do whatever the hell I want with it.

Also, Part One was completely recorded. NONE of it was animated myself. Most of part two was recorded, but not all.

I had thought I established that fact earlier. Part three, the part that I'm going to make into episode eight, is the part that I made completely myself, and is complete crap in the animation catagory, just as a heads up. It is also completely done, except for the fact that I still never added the voices yet. I'm going to spend another month experimenting on the whole 'quality over quanity' thing.

Episode nine, the previous eight, will be entirely be made by me, but so far, it also looks like something recorded from an emulator. It's so freakishly weird how scenes one and two of part one came out.

I guess I'm now off to plan an intro, and waste precious hours, when I could be doing something with episode nine.

The next epsiode might be delayed a bit more that I might like.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

You know, I maybe a retard for only noticing now, but episode six has a ten second intro. It has a bunch of chocobos running across the screen at the very begining.

I already have an intro, and here I was, making a big fuss over nothing.

This truely is, good sir, a face palm moment.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Aright, Confession time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbbD9IxpuKU

This is what was eating all of my time, and delaying the original episode eight for so long.

The newly numbered episode eight will be in January, and I'll try to make a deadline of late Feberary. (Why can't I spell that?!)

[Lisky]

oh hey... that's actually pretty snazzy

[Castle Pokemetroid]

oh hey... that's actually pretty snazzy

Better than my regular series, right? Don't worry, I'm ready to admit that.

Though, I wonder if I should make another animation like this for some other series . . .

[Castle Pokemetroid]

With things going on at home, and now of the fact I've gotten a job, for a while, anyways, I've had less and less time to work on my series.

Now that things with life is finally getting busy, it makes me regret making that CVRPG thing. Ep 9 would probably be done if I hadn't invested so much time into it.

Anyways, the point being is that I'll be delaying my series by two or three months. The third part of 7, which is now 8, will still be released in January.

Merry Christmas to all!

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Well, I don't have that "job" I was talking about in the post above this one anymore. In that post, I wrongly put job. It's not the working for money type job, but instead, it was an internship. Whatever.

I was quite angry eariler today. Not only was there a tsunami warning of a giant eight feet wall of water going to hit my house from an earthquake in chile, windows movie maker fucked up and my fucking bunny died. I had that dyed pink bastered for ten + years now, but now it got old and died.

I also ran out of ice tea, and failed my driving permit test, so I have to do that again. I also have a giant english project that's worth nearly all of my grade from the quater that involves 12 pages of crap and BS that needs to be written within a few days, and my cat also took a shit in my living room since I left it in the house too long, and now these fucking neigbor dogs won't SHUT THE HELL UP since I'm yelling so funcking much, and now my fucking crap assed computer is GOING SO SLOW!

It's not like anyone should care about that, anyways. Nothing majorly important. Nope. Not even the eight foot tall tsunami generated from an 8.8 earthquake. Nothing anybody should care about at all. Tsunami didn't even fucking hit my house, which was a dissapointment.

But back with the movie maker thing, appearently I did something beyond stupid. I tried to make episode nine the same way I made the CVRPG animation thing, which is recorded with hypercam, but I also made screen shots to go with them. What I planned to do was record the animation, then with the talking parts, have it still so that it dosen't take up too much file space, since one frame is less than fifty. I made the image and video the exact same size.

Nothing wrong with that, right? Wrong. Windows movie maker streches videos to completely fill the screen, but with images, they're streched or shrunk so that both the left and right edges touch the outside of the frame. The top and bottom are NOT streched like what it dose with videos.

The difference in size and quality is rediculous. It's to the point where it's unuseable. I also recorded the animation vids to the dot, so it's impossible to zoom in, then copy/paste a fraction of the actual vid to make a still image while the basterds on screen are talking.

I really fucked up big time. Nearly five months of work, and now I have to start the damned thing all over again? Fuck.

I need a better editing video maker program. Here I thought I was being smart, and now I find out I've wasted all of this time.

There's a few lines missing from episode eight, but I don't give a fuck. At least I have all the frames, and they don't conflict with each other. I'll edit and upload that one when I'm not as pissed off as I am now.

[Drayco84]

If it isn't too late, GIMP DOES use layers and I've frequently heard it being compared to photoshop. Google "open source movie makers" or something. In all seriousness, that stuff is usually on par, or sometimes better, than commercial software. (And I'm not saying that just because I'm using PCLinuxOS, either.)

Another thing, venting DOES help, even if it doesn't seem like it. Mostly, it just allows you to blow off some steam and get things off your chest.

And it hurts when bunnies die. IT SERIOUSLY SUCKS ASS! (I'm speaking from experience here.) Take some time to mourn. Take a break, go play a FUN game, watch some anime or something. The work will still be there when you feel ready to take it on again. (Unless you're not backing up your work and haven't been saving each step as a separate file... Hell, get an external HDD if you have to! Especially if you're still using Windows!) If you feel like you can't do it, then walk away from it for a bit. If it feels like it's driving you insane, then it probably is.

As for the lack of comments, understand this... People usually only comment on things they feel strongly about. If it really angers them, they're more likely to comment. If they think it sucks (Or more likely they prefer to rip apart others because it makes them feel better, the bastards.) then they're more likely to comment. If they think it's totally freaking awesome, they'll be more likely to comment. The fact of the matter is, comments, and feedback in general, are rare. Just because somebody doesn't have anything to say doesn't mean they don't care. Yes, it's rather maddening that you're exposing your soul to the world and nobody really has anything to say.

And a heads up, YES, I've rewritten my web novel a whopping three times now. (First time I got stuck in a plothole. Second time I started using an outline. Third time I STOPPED using the outline... Big mistake. Now, it's on unofficial hiatus until I've redesigned the website and learned how to use a damn outline effectively.) Sure, it's just text and it's "easy" to change after the fact, but rewriting is as much of a part of writing as watching over your scenes and adjusting them to your liking. (AKA Editing.) Yeah, I'm aware that you probably wanna hit me because of that suggestion, but it a vital, time-sucking evil bastard.

Oh, and one last thing, you might wanna list all of your episodes in order on the first page so that newcomers have an easier time catching up. Just sayin'.

EDIT: Dang, I'm a real bastard when I post and I'm angry over something... Dunno what it was now, though... Ugh...

[WhiteFox]

Castle: you have my most sincerest condolences, both for your personal and artistic troubles.

Distance, distraction, and digestion. Take some time, relax, and get some food into you. You'll feel better.

Venting does alleviate a lot of stress and frustration, and I don't blame you for it (the art forum might not be the best place for it, however). At the same time, it's hard to form a response to someones venting.

Your time has not been wasted. Skills take time and practice to improve, and the time you spent on them counts even if the work has been lost.

It's not too late to learn something even now. Make backups. If you're experimenting with a new technique, test it before you commit to something that may not work. As for times ahead? Try to look at your methods and find ways to increase your efficiency. Try to think of new things to do, and how to do them. Look at your old work objectively, and see what you don't like about it. Try to improve those things in the next project.

Getting feedback is hard. VERY hard. Asking for help from someone more experienced isn't too bad, but a general audience will rarely go out of their way to leave comments. The world would be a better place if they did, but I can't really blame them if they don't, either. Most of them come for entertainment, not conversation.

That being said, here's something to consider. I've never seen you post in the art forum outside your own thread, and I don't know if you have a DA account or the like. If you want feedback, the best thing to do is to start communicating with others. They'll reciprocate. You can't expect people to talk with you if you're not willing to do the same for them. Being more outgoing will let people get to know you, and friends will talk more openly to you then audiences ever will.

One last thing... it's never a good idea to post while mad. We (well, I should say "I") may be willing to lend a sympathetic ear and help however we can, but we're not here to get yelled at and we don't deserve it. Take some time to cool off, then speak your piece.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

I took the week off to do random stuff in my free time, and I do feel better. Watching Gurren Lagaan and playing castlevania dracula X actually helps.

I still can't believe I wasted that monies dying my bunny pink. It was cool at the time though.

Anyways, I've decided to do the whole damn thing over again, which make take a good part of this year, but bleh.

As for today, I'll finish editing episode eight and put that up. After it's up, I'll edit the first post of this thread with the list of all the episodes.

My CVD web comic series will be dead for a few years. I won't be reviving that one in a while.

I'll also try GIMP. Ironically, I already have the program, as well as a few others, but I haven't tried them out yet.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Well, seems I failed in the whole time management thing.

I had five hours, so I thought, why not view just one more anime episode? It's only twenty minutes!

Next thing you know it, it's eleven at night and close to midnight.

I'll have to get it done sunday or next week it seems.

I did manage to pull together about half or less of the episode in one hour before I took that break that ate the whole day, so that's a plus.

[Drayco84]

Well, seems I failed in the whole time management thing.

I had five hours, so I thought, why not view just one more anime episode? It's only twenty minutes!

Next thing you know it, it's eleven at night and close to midnight.

Been there. Done that. Want a T-shirt?

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Well, seems I failed in the whole time management thing.

I had five hours, so I thought, why not view just one more anime episode? It's only twenty minutes!

Next thing you know it, it's eleven at night and close to midnight.

Been there. Done that. Want a T-shirt?

They make T shirts on just about anything, don't they?

Episode eight will be up by next weekend. I still need to ask someone if they're still gonna do some voices.

There's characters in the episode with no voice acting. If I can't get them all, no big deal.

Also, I think I'll put captions at the bottom of the court case episode, which is the one that got eaten and pissed me off. I think captions might help. I'm not exactly the best audio editer.

[Drayco84]

You can never go wrong with captions, IMO. I'm hard of hearing when my allergies are riled up (Because I have a lot of fluid built up in my ears.) and I can read a ton easier than I can listen. Besides, even if the audio gets botched to hell, your viewers have something to fall back on.

Just make sure that they last as long as it takes to speak the lines, and it should work out.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

You can never go wrong with captions, IMO. I'm hard of hearing when my allergies are riled up (Because I have a lot of fluid built up in my ears.) and I can read a ton easier than I can listen. Besides, even if the audio gets botched to hell, your viewers have something to fall back on.

Just make sure that they last as long as it takes to speak the lines, and it should work out.

I was editing episode eight not long ago, and the lines for one character went to hell.

By this point, after all this time and I still can't get audio right, captions will be a requirement.

Episode eight will be up saturday.

I've moved the courtcase episode to episode ten. I have plans for episode nine.

Edit:

Actually, scratch that. It won't be up saturday. I'll delay it a few days to get a few more lines.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Part one
Part two

Episode eight has finally been uploaded. It was sitting on my computer for a few days, actually.

I'm also surprized at the fact that I had to split it into two. I thought it was going to be a one part episode. The fact that it's two part dose make me feel better about seperating this from episode seven.

As another note, I haven't even started on the court case battle yet. I may even go ahead and add those text boxes if I feel the need.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

Episode nine "Beta".

I'm not sure what to call it other than a "Beta" version. It's actually the scratch version.

Maybe I should call it a preview? Then again, it is the full, finished episode, just that it's not on youtube.

I'll edit the "real" episode nine. Is that what I should call the version I put on youtube? The "real" one?

I'm not sure.

Anyways, I'll chop up this "Scratch" or maybe "Beta" version of this episode, then reattach it and upload it to youtube with full music and sound effects.

[WhiteFox]

The animation has notably improved at least.

I'm not sure what to call it other than a "Beta" version. It's actually the scratch version.

"Draft" might be an appropriate term.

If you put a finalized version on YouTube, you could always call that the Directors Cut.

[Castle Pokemetroid]

"Draft" might be an appropriate term.

If you put a finalized version on YouTube, you could always call that the Directors Cut.

YES! Draft, that was the word I was looking for. I couldn't find that word for some reason.

As another note, windows movie maker hates me. The quality of the picture when moving my project from scratch to video, then into movie maker, gets, I can't find the word. The quality gets murdered? Destroyed? Pixalated?

Anyways, the quality becomes horrible. It goes from terrific to near trash. It's still useable, but it's to the point where you can barely read the text.

Sure, the animation gets better, but it's at the cost of the picture quality.

I think I'll keep all the video file pieces, and if sometime in the future, I get something better than windows movie maker, I'll just release a "redo" version.

Quality isn't always everything, right?

. . . right . . . ?

[Drayco84]

I think I would've enjoyed it more if I had played Order of Ecclesia... (Heck, I never finished Dawn of Sorrow! SHAME BE UNTO ME!)

And maybe some of the later Final Fantasy games for the FF-based Swords of Sorrow... (The only ones I've played are part of FF 1 and 2, all of FFTA, and the start of FFT... I'm just not that fond of it, okay? AND I HATE MOOGLES!)

The animation does look pretty good, though. The dialogue ran a little too quickly for even me to read everything and the bodies could've fallen a little faster, but it looked pretty good. Johnathan is annoying as heck, but I get the feeling that he's supposed to be. (Death was totally forgiven for the heavy use of slang for his efforts, BTW.)

Quality isn't always everything, right?

. . . right . . . ?

............
It isn't everything, but it does help...

[WhiteFox]

Quality isn't always everything, right?

Depends.

A) How good do you need it to be? People at least have to be able to tell one character from the other, and read the dialog.

B) How good do you want it to be? If you care more about the animation then the graphics, go for it. If you have minimum standards for the visuals, stick to them.

Really, it's your call to decide what's more important.